Dresden—Yes or No?

I have a biased view, having visited Dresden twice, (a week, each visit) In any event , two nights in any place , only translates to one day . Even one day there is better than none .

I spent 4 nights each in Wrocław and Dresden (trip reports are linked for each) and while I can always spend more time in a town, I am glad that it wasn't less. Dresden and Wrocław have compact tourist centers; so, if you don't think you'd be back, you could still have a pleasant time in the 1 to 1.5 days that you would have in each.

It really depends on how you like to travel and how much there is that interests you in each town.

Very much yes! Skipping Dresden would be a mistake in my opinion.

Definitely go to Dresden. It is an amazing place, even if just for 2 nights.

We did Dresden as a day trip by train from Prague in 2019. Well worth going!! Get tickets ahead of time for the Historic Green Vault- amazing!! We also did Rick’s walking tour in his Best of Germany book.

I'll add my pro-Dresden vote to the chorus.

I stayed there five nights in 2019. I did one day trip to Leipzig and one to Saxon Switzerland. I highly recommend both. I also attended the Semperoper, and it was a superb production.

I absolutely loved my visit to Dresden. If you visit my blog (link in my profile) and search for Dresden, you can find my posts describing my time there.

Four nights in Berlin and two in Dresden for me is better than six in Berlin - from a guy who spent three in Berlin and two in Dresden.

It is a matter of opinion, but I rate Dresden slightly ahead of Wroclaw. You are likely to pass through Berlin on future trips, and less likely to pass through Dresden. Note that if you include nearby out-of-town sites (like the Peace Churches near Wroclaw, or Meissen and Saxon Switzerland, near Dresden) there is far more than you can see in either place in two days.

Thank you everyone for your input! We will keep Dresden on our itinerary.

I agree with everyone else. I was just in there this past September and you will be glad you went to Dresden. To me it was just different enough from other German towns that I have visited. I loved it and think you will to. Berlin is amazing as well. I have also been to Auschwitz and my advice is to make sure to have your ticket bought in advance. I showed up without one and they were sold out and I had to buy a guided tour in a foreign language to get in. Hope you have a great trip!!

I visited Dresden in 1989 when it was still in the old Communist DDR. There was still way too much bomb damage from WWII, yet it was an interesting place. Perhaps it has improved since German reunification.

Much of the historic center has been rebuilt. The Frauenkirche was painstakingly restored after the fall of the Berlin Wall. An interesting video in the basement of the church tells the story. Reconstruction continues in some sites such as the royal apartments at the Residential Palaces, which reopened in 2019.

I think a visit to the rebuilt cultural center of Dresden is in order. Also a river boat trip along the Elbe towards the Czech Republic and return thru the Sächsische Schweiz. Maybe a stop or overnight along the way? I recall rows of renovated DDR flats in the city. I'm sure a culture in itself worth some time. You should read some of the graphic accounts from the survivors of the WWII bombing. The heat from the fire storms.

Don't skip Dresden. Seeing Dresden for one day or so is still better than not at all. I've been there a number of times, as day trips and also on short visits, the first time in 1992 was on a guided bus tour from Berlin. Very interesting place and I need to go back again.